Summary.
Vegan Parts Unknown (a working title) is the first of its kind; an all-vegan culture and travel documentary series starring vegan celebrity chef, TV personality and best-selling vegan author Nicole Derseweh.
Vegan Parts Unknown is a show with its own soul, taking its viewers around the world to contemplate one of life’s deepest questions; what does it mean to be fully alive, and how do we do that in compassion and harmony with the planet?
In each episode, we visit a new country and take a deep dive into important topics, exploring cultural expression and local philanthropic efforts towards supporting local people, animals and the land, as well as experiencing new adventures and tasting local, traditional vegan cuisine all along the way.
This documentary series, captured by internationally recognized and celebrated director of photography Arron Leppard, whose work is not only cinematically orgasmic, but emotionally riveting and endlessly inspiring. Arron captures Nicole in a raw and authentic light, leaving it all on the table. We share profoundly intimate moments of Nicole’s own healing process from surviving childhood sexual trauma to overcoming narcolepsy, and she shares how embracing other cultures and solo travel actually saved her life. This show pulls no punches and is begging to be born.
We need YOU help to tell this story. Please help us bring this masterpiece to life and be a part of the change you want to see in this world. Help us tell this story of oneness, for the people, for the animals, for the planet.
Meet the team.
Nicole Derseweh
Nicole Derseweh is a best-selling cookbook author, a world-class vegan chef with culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu, and is a private chef to Hollywood’s most famous health conscious stars.
After hosting and producing her own successful YouTube cooking show, she launched a local dining pop-up series which landed her the notoriety among LA influencers and local celebrities.
Described by some as the vegan love child of Rachel Ray and Tina Fey, Nicole’s trained at Upright Citizens Brigade (completing their acclaimed masters program) and she’s been the national spokesperson for multiple national campaigns for brand’s including Prego, Ruby Tuesday, Turbo Tax and True Car.
Not only is this female entrepreneur a boss in the kitchen, she has a huge heart for humanity and is the CEO and creator of The Martha Project, a nonprofit that feeds plant-based meals and offers human connection to those without shelter. The Martha Project has served over 10k meals and was recently featured on the Rachel Rey show.
We are all so excited to see what this budding female executive will create next.
Arron Leppard
Arron Leppard is an internationally recognised visual storyteller from the UK, with 17 years of experience in the photo and video industries. His work has taken him on commissions around the world, having already shot in 45 countries across 6 continents; from covering London Fashion Week for Canon, to commercial work with Lululemon in Canada and the WWE in Australia, to humanitarian work in Ethiopia and Nepal and personal portrait projects while living with tribes and ethnic minorities across Southeast Asia.
Known for his natural and genuine approach to his camera work, Arron captures raw emotion and authentic moments like no other. Now living in Bali, Indonesia, he is using his 17 years of experience across these photo and video fields, in combination with his desire to focus on creative projects deeply aligned with his ethics, to build a truly ethical video production company that’s focused on creating original, cinematic documentary-based content for positive global impact, covering subjects such as people, culture, food, travel and the environment.
What will the funds cover?
To begin this epic journey, we’ll be shooting a 25-30 minute pilot episode in our current location of the idyllic paradise island of Bali, Indonesia, giving us what we need to pitch this incredible project to networks and streaming platforms.
Not including the pre-production involved in this project, we’ll be embarking on several days of shooting across Bali, working with and hiring local people to document the incredible stories of the people and culture of Bali in a cinematic way. Once the shooting has been completed, the project will then go into post-production, where we’ll take several weeks to really fine tune the edit in order to make it the most attractive proposal to networks and platforms.
With the $10,000 that we’re asking for, much of this will go towards all of the standard costs involved of a high-level production, from additional equipment and hard drives, to drivers, fixers, assistants, a sound recordist, and all of the necessary permits and donations required to shoot in Bali, in addition to the covering of a basic cost of living during the two months we work on this project.
Gifts for Contributors.
Tier 1 - $100.00
Contributors donating over $100 will be listed and recognized in the rolling credits, and will be granted access to our exclusive digital premier party.
Tier 2 - $1,000.00
Contributors donating $1k or more will be sent exclusive access to Chef Nicole's vegan holiday e-cookbook, which includes a 5-course all-vegan holiday tasting menu, as well as be given producer credits and, as above, be granted access to our exclusive digital premier party.
Tier 3 - $2,000.00
Contributors donating above $2k will receive a personalized signed copy of Chef Nicole’s top selling cookbook 'The Vegan Ketogenic Diet Book' as well as receive all of the rewards from Tier 1 & 2.
Tier 4 - $5,000.00
Contributors donating $5k or more will be entered into a draw to win an exclusive private dinner party for up to 6 guests. Chef Nicole will come and cook a specialized all-vegan 5-course tasting menu for you and your guests in the privacy of your own home*. You will also receive the rewards from Tiers 1-3.
*Applicable to the Los Angeles area only.